Government Affairs
The role of the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce is to maintain relationships with city, county, and state officials, while providing information and instruction to members on ordinance changes.
2025 Primary Candidates

Ellensburg City Council Position 1 Candidates
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
I was the fire chief for Kittitas Valley Fire Rescue for 20 years. In that role I worked with CWU to negotiate a fire protection contract, since the university is state owned property and not subject to property taxes. KVFR also utilized students as interns for various projects. I worked with the City of Ellensburg to merge the city fire department into Kittitas County Fire District 2. During my tenure as fire chief, I worked regularly with the City of Ellensburg, Kittitas County, PUD, Kittitas County Hospital Districts and the Ellensburg, Kittitas, and Damman School Districts. I have been involved in the Noon Rotary Club for 19 years and was on the Board of Directors for the Kittitas County Chamber for 4 years. I have worked extensively with the business community and the citizens of the Kittitas Valley inclusive of the City of Ellensburg.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
Considering the USA has a national debt of 36 trillion dollars and the State of Washington started their biannual budget 16 billion in areas, it is vital to sharpen the pencil on all governmental budgets. I proved as fire chief that I could manage the funding provided by the community and still grow the agency as needed by the community. It takes planning and prioritization of the services needed most by the community. Federal and state grant money will continue to be allocated, just at smaller amounts. We need to stop doing things the way we have been and look for creative funding and also find ways to recycle what we have and maintain and extend the life of our capital fleet and facilities. I think a critical look at the budget will find ways to save money and/or prioritize the most important services within our community.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input? What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making?
Communication to all the citizens of the city is difficult at best. Our paper of record, the Daily Record, has a limited audience. KXLE no longer has local DJ's, and the community gets TV from Seattle and/or Yakima and the Tri-cities. Direct mailing is an option. However, much of it goes into the trash unread. The city sends out utility bills on a monthly basis and that can be used as a communication tool to some extent. Social media, word-of-mouth, and written communication along with regular meet the council events will reach many people, albeit not 100%. All tools in the toolbox will be used, in the end is we can reach 60-80% of the citizens on an issue we can call that a success.
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
I have served on the Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery Board since 2006, including as chair in 2010, and before that, its predecessors, the Yakima Basin Lead Entity Board (2002-2006) and the Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Planning Board (2003-2006). I also served on the Tri-County Water Resources Agency Board in 2002. The boards are composed of representatives from Kittitas, Yakima and Benton County Commissioners and Councilmembers as well as the Yakama Nation. My interactions with these regional elected officials provide a chance to talk about shared challenges in our communities.
I have served on a variety of Kittitas County Committees and enjoy good relationships with current and past County Commissioners as we jointly work to promote what is needed in our communities.
- Airport Advisory Commission since 2020. I’m working with pilots, CWU representatives and economic development proponents to promote Bowers Field and Bowers Business Park. I also served on an Ad Hoc Bowers Business Park Feasibility Study in 2024 with members of the business, airport, and economic development communities.
- Joint City-County Homelessness Ad Hoc, co-chair with Commissioner Osaidacz and then Commissioner Wachsmith (2023-2025). Worked with social service providers, police, and members of the faith community to identify gaps in services and strategies to fill them.
- Developmental Disabilities Advisory Committee (2016-2022) and before that, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Board. I worked with members of those communities and the professionals serving them to promote services.
- Broadband Action Team (2021-2022). With other jurisdictions and internet providers, working to bring reliable access to high-speed internet services to residents.
- Flood Control Zone District Citizen Advisory Committee (2011 to 2012). With other members representing landowners and public agencies, we advised the County’s proposal to place a Flood Control Zone District on the ballot. It passed.
- Kittitas County Shoreline Master Program Advisory Committee (2012 to 2013). Advised the development of the County Shoreline Master Plan, which Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and South Cle Elum were party to. Committee members included a broad cross-section of landowner, business, agency and conservation interests.
- Kittitas County Solid Waste Advisory Board (2002 to 2007). With members from other cities, we advised the County’s Solid Waste programs.
Other Countywide service:
- Checkerboard Partnership since 2020. The group includes elected officials and conservationists, primarily from upper County. The goal is to permanently protect the last large remnants of the private checkerboard lands, which are concentrated in three main areas: Taneum, Cabin Creek, and the Cle Elum Ridge and to create working community forests.
- KITTCOM (911) Board (2010 to 2011), and Kittitas County Emergency Management Board (2002 to 2006) interacting with public safety leaders from across County jurisdictions.
I’ve served on a number of City boards and commissions, interacting with a broad cross-section of community stakeholders.
- Ellensburg Utility Advisory Committee (2011 to present, chair 2015 to 2022). With representatives from CWU and utility customers, provided a deeper review of complex utility issues before they are considered by the city council.
- Ellensburg Environmental Commission Council Liaison (2015 to 2022, 2024-present). I interact with this group of generally conservation-minded stakeholders, and sometimes developers and high-school students, as a non-voting member whose role is to be the liaison between the commission and city council.
- DEI Ad Hoc Committee (2020-2021). With 2 other councilmembers, I participated in a listening tour to hear voices from the community that do not normally participate. After the tour, we developed the DEI commission. Prior to that work I participated with the informal group Not In Our KitCo (2015 to 2018), organized after KKK flyers were distributed in Ellensburg.
- Streateries Ad Hoc Committee (2021-2022). Working with the Ellensburg Downtown Association, downtown business owners, public works staff, and others, developed an ordinance regulating the use of Streateries and establishing a process and lease rate for use of parking spaces for outdoor dining.
- Ellensburg Lodging Tax Advisory Commission, chair, from 2014-2018. I worked closely with the Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Director and members of the hospitality and non-profit communities to promote tourism in Ellensburg. I also worked with the County’s LTAC Board on the joint grant application process.
- Bicycle Friendly Community application group. At the suggestion of the Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Director in 2015, a group of bicycle and tourism advocates applied to the League of American Bicyclists to be designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community, to promote Ellensburg as a destination for cycling tourists. We received a Silver Level designation in 2015, 2019, and 2023; making the application continues to be a group effort. To maintain BFC status, I have worked with the Environmental Commission (our designated Bicycle Advisory Committee) to promote cycling during Bike Month in May. The event this year involved Rotary Clubs, Kittitas Valley Hospital, Kittitas County Public Health, the Oddfellows, Central Washington Disability Resources, Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Washington State Parks, and the CWU Sustainability Office.
- Ellensburg Nonmotorized Transportation Plan Ad-Hoc Committee (chair, 2007-2008). The committee reviewed best practices to make the city more walkable and bikeable, and recommended an update to the Nonmotorized Transportation Plan and to the Comprehensive Plan. Stakeholders included Public Health, Aging and Long Term Care, Central Washington Disability Resources, walking and biking advocates
- Ellensburg Nonmotorized Code Ad-Hoc Committee (chair, 2009-2010). The committee recommended amendments to the City Code and Development Standards consistent with the Nonmotorized Transportation Plan and Comprehensive Plan. Stakeholders included representatives from Ellensburg School District, Central Washington University, the disability community, Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue, Kittitas County Health Department, a developer, an economic development representative, a bicycling advocate, a walking advocate, and a citizen at large.
- Animal Shelter Ad-Hoc Committee (chair, 2005 to 2007). Worked with the City Attorney, Shelter Director, the Humane Society and Kittitas County Friends of Animals to rewrite the Animal Control Ordinance and propose improvements to the Animal Shelter.
- Ellensburg Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (co-chair, 2005). With another councilmember, led a large citizen committee to provide input to the 2007 Comprehensive Plan.
Community groups: League of Women Voters (1995 to present). I have been a member of LWV since before I moved to Ellensburg. I believe in their non-partisan study of issues and promotion of voting rights and democracy.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
Fortunately, most of the funding Ellensburg receives from the federal government is for one time projects. Most, if not all, of those projects could be put off indefinitely if funding was lost. There are a few grants for operational funding, the largest for Central Transit. If voters approve the proposed 0.2% sales tax (replacing the 0.2% set to expire in 2026) on the November ballot, Central Transit should weather the cuts by using reserves. Our library was awarded only $1,255 of federal funds passed through the state this year.
If what we are seeing is a long-term restructuring of how governments fund things, beyond this administration, we will see the impacts primarily in our transportation infrastructure. Streets are by far the most expensive projects and where we rely most heavily on outside grants. Traffic impact fees are charged to new development to pay for improvements needed to avoid congestion. This year some street maintenance projects, which are paid from local general funds, are being deferred due to competing demands on local resources. Deferring maintenance projects for more than a year risks more expensive fixes later; it is not a long-term strategy. Parks, police, the library, and city administration compete with street maintenance for the same pot of money. Looking for partnerships in any of those departments, or considering special districts to expand the service area to county residents would help maintain services and spread the tax burden.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input? What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making?
For those without the internet, the city can reach residents using a number of techniques. For projects requiring SEPA review, letters are sent directly to people within 300 feet of a project requiring SEPA and signs posted on the property to provide notice of the project and opportunity to comment. SEPA notices are also publicized in the Daily Record newspaper and ads are purchased to publicize City Council agendas, open houses, grant opportunities and other events. Posters of events and surveys are posted at city facilities. Flyers are sometimes included in utility bills; the city should develop a way to print notices on those bills so it does not require an extra piece of paper (and cost). For the Reed Park planning process, the City placed signs at the Park, inviting people to participate in surveys and open houses; the city should use this approach more for project planning.
Those with the internet can sign up for a variety of email alerts, or follow the police, library, parks or city on social media. Ad hoc and stakeholder groups can provide useful feedback to define issues and develop meaningful policies. I liked the Traffic Safety Plan that identified key user groups and met with them in groups to gather input. Surveys provide useful feedback, especially those that a large cross-section of the community participates in. Open houses are often poorly attended, but when there is a good turnout and opportunities for one-on-one discussions, the city can share information and obtain good feedback.
None of these methods is perfect. Policy is made by those who show up. In the Reed Park planning process, throughout the multi-year process, the City had a stakeholder group that included an American Legion representative. It conducted surveys, and held several open houses, all of which led to a plan that was presented to the city council that was unacceptable to American Legion members and a group formed to “Save Craigs Hill”. Additional surveys, open houses and direct meetings between city staff and the American Legion led to a compromise plan that considered the needs of the Legion, the neighborhood, the scenic overlook proponents and the pedestrian park users.
Ellensburg City Council Position 2 Candidates
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
In the role as a councilman or woman, we have a great responsibility to contact and work directly with stakeholders in the community in all aspects. It's important we are aware of what we need to do to help them be successful. I am currently attending every commission meeting I can manage, and I aim to join one that best suits my skills, knowledge and passions. I am also in communications with the Affordable Housing Committee of Central Washington and building relationships with different business owners in the valley. As far as CWU, I haven't had much affiliation yet, but I know there are a large part of our city's economy and community. I hope to build a strong partnership and continue our city's relationship with the college. Since returning to Ellensburg seven years ago, I had been working for the school district and raising a family. Now that my children are grown enough to have more independence and I am no longer with the school district, my free time has opened and abled me to dedicate myself to cause.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
- If/When federal funding cuts happen, we may have to prioritize services that are being the most utilized and cut funding form others. There will be hard decisions to make in the not-so-distant future, and I plan to make my decisions based on the facts and big picture as well as public input. Charging small fees for currently "free" services may be an option to keep things running but I believe overall restructuring our finances and rebudgeting will be a top priority and have the biggest impact.
- Community Support is always encouraged. People really do like to help improve the cities they live in. Being involved and contributing in fun ways can be effective ways of curbing the sting of different fundings. Fund raising events is also a great way to bring the community together in positive ways.
- I will try all avenues before proposing new or increased taxes on our citizens. My knee jerk reaction is "Taxation is Theft" however, we cannot operate a city without them so some taxed to stay afloat are necessary.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input? What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making?
- Community gathering places often have bulletin boards and other spaces for posting information. Places such as the grocery stores, food bank some of our parks and other recreation centers such as the city pool and adult activity center should be utilized to post information. Other places I would like to make sure we have information posted is in essential non-profit organizations where notices have greater chances to reach people who are houseless or citizens where notices have greater chance to reach people who are houseless or citizens who are more likely already looking for assistance. We need to be sure to post contact information and be sure to have the information posted for non-English speaking residents.
- The Ellensburg Insider is a great way to keep information flowing to residents. Having monthly updates mailed out, with meetings available to the public and events coming up as well as important decisions made or coming up that residents will want to be aware of
- I will be continuing the "Coffee with the Council" and compiling public input and concerns to utilize in my decisions.
- Public surveys will be a great way for the public to engage and have a say in what happens in their community. I aim to honor the will of the public.
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
From 2000-2006, I was the administrator of the Kittitas County public health network. I and my staff worked with numerous stakeholders from the medical community, hospital, clinics, nutrition agencies, vaccination clinics, services for pregnantå women, disease outbreaks, etc. I developed many relationships with key stakeholders in the community doing this work.
From 2007 – 2017, I served on the Homeless and Affordable Housing Commission, many years as chair, where we had two responsibilities: write the 5-year plan for Homeless and Affordable Housing for the County and bring recommendations for grant awards to the Board of Commissioner. It took almost a year to write the plan as we started from scratch and knew very little about homeless and affordable housing. Thanks to the representatives from the non-profits who attended meetings, and taught us about what they do, what they needed to do better work, and how the Committee could support them. All of this information and the relationships we developed with them facilitated the writing of the first 5- Year Homeless and Affordable Housing Plan for our County.
At the end of that experience, the Committee brought those folks together with community volunteers, community leaders, and interested persons and formed the Kittitas County Homeless and Affordable Housing Network. That became a gathering place for representatives from the groups working on homelessness and affordable housing and greatly improved collaboration and communication through their meetings and shared discussions.
I worked closely with County staff as chair of the Committee, putting grant proposals together and soliciting grant requests, reviewing the proposals and recommending to the Board of Commissioners where our funding should go. I learned a lot about how the government works, their processes.
I volunteered for the Ellensburg Free Clinic and the Hospice Friends boards of directors. These experiences greatly increased my knowledge of the community infrastructure that deals with disadvantaged populations. It was invaluable to me.
In my City Council role, I have continued these relationships and built new partnerships and working relationships with numerous individuals and departments in the University, including the President and his Cabinet. I have been involved with many business owners on committees of the county and city.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
We are in new territory with this question. I would trust the Council’s processes as well as the City Manager’s and staff processes to bring forward the best recommendations they canfor revenue generation or for identifying other revenue streams. I would work the processes until we could find a way to move forward. I would consider burdening the taxpayers only if it were the last option we had and circumstances were dire.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input? What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making?
It can be difficult to reach people in underserved communities but these are the people that most need to hear about these opportunities.
Dialogue opportunities:
*Town halls.
*Small group discussions at local gathering places.
*Identify churches, etc, in the community where vulnerable people meet and go to those spaces for discussion.
*City Council public meetings.
*Utilize CWU resources to connect with staff, faculty and students.
Information sharing/gathering strategies
*Surveys;
* ECTV, public radio stations.
*Mass distribution of flyers
*Announcements in the Daily Record.
*Partner with city agencies, organizations and service providers to help spread the word.
*Utilize translators when needed.
These processes could be utilized to seek input from the community and gather input. I would advocate for an electronic reader board at city hall (or somewhere more visible in town) where messages could be relayed to the community everyday with information about events and opportunities to dialogue with City staff. English and Spanish translations.
It would also be helpful to have a process in place to gather information consistently through the year, such as a listening session with city officials every month.
Ellensburg City Council Position 3 Candidates
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
As the Director of Capital Planning & Projects at Central Washington University, my role and responsibilities have been an integral part of community communication. Construction planning requires coordination with the City of Ellensburg on utility & traffic impacts, as well as economic reporting with Kittitas County on job growth in the community. This engagement provides an additional opportunity to strategize and ensure organizational overlap with mutually beneficial opportunities. For example, CWU, the city, and the county have comprehensive goals of maximizing the energy efficiency of utilities, and ongoing collaboration has allowed the university to pursue geothermal utilization. This application has a direct impact of reducing natural gas usage at the city and thereby lowering city demand and the associated carbon credits cost to the city.
Other notable examples of stakeholder collaboration with community members include my role with the Ellensburg Morning Rotary Club (EMRC) on events such as recurring clean-ups, fundraising, and mentoring opportunities. As a volunteer with the Ellensburg Downtown Association (EDA) Outreach committee, I have the chance to participate in events that occur in the heart of our community and actively maintain the beautification of our city center.
Finally, as a part of my passion to ensure affordable housing, I’ve been a volunteer member and current board member of Kittitas County Habitat for Humanity on vital projects like Stuart Meadows being constructed on the north end of Water Street.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
There are several ways to evaluate budget opportunities to maintain services without overburdening community members.
First, an evaluation of operational costs should be conducted to identify opportunities to adjust operations to meet peak service demands. If none are available, a second opportunity is the consideration of unconventional means of revenue generation. While additional revenue generation may not be available in a single commodity of the city, such as the library, we should consider larger opportunities for revenue, such as alternate energy production or partnership with local businesses, to supplement specific community project funding in exchange for marketing opportunities and branding.
Finally, part of the role of the city council is to evaluate which community decisions are suited for citizen feedback in ballot measures. If an issue or service is important enough to warrant community support, members may be willing to consider a tax or fee to fund the service in question. We owe it to them to put the decision in their hands.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input? What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making?
Despite the advancement in technologies in our society, communication of critical information is one of the most difficult forums to manage for citizens, as every person accepts information differently. We must continue to communicate through multiple forms of media and attempt to track which means are utilized the most and/or by our vulnerable community members. The city currently uses meetings, town halls, Facebook posts, city websites, and community postings; however, it’s time we look at establishing a series of digital displays located in key locations around the city to advertise key information. Funding for these types of dynamic mini billboards could be partially sponsored by local businesses in exchange for recurring marketing on the boards. These dynamic visualizations will provide the dual benefit of informing citizens and visitors of local community events.
Describe your experience working with different stakeholders in the community, including business owners, community organizations, CWU, and other government agencies.
I have had a lot of experience working through many different scenarios over the years with my customers in my job. I enjoy being a member of the Ellensburg business community and I am quite aware of their common concerns. As a councilmember, I will listen to the needs of all community members, while factoring in the available budget, to suggest and pursue the best outcome for the community. I believe it is important to build a quality working relationship with the whole community, including the university, but especially with the citizens.
With pending federal funding cuts (libraries, transportation, etc.) how would you budget to maintain services without overburdening taxpayers?
I would ask questions to find the root cause of the federal cuts. If the City can make policy changes to avoid any funding decrease, I would suggest that as a first step. If cuts do occur, the city must maintain the essential services (police, first-responders, roads, utilities, etc.) I would support cuts being made only in non-essential services rather than adding any new taxes to the already overburdened citizens. Overspending has gone on for too long and tax increases are not the solution. While taxes are a necessary evil, the Council must not use the citizen’s pockets to finance programs that are wasteful to begin with. We need community input to find other ways of funding smaller programs. I believe in the community helping the community and not stretching the already thin budgets of Ellensburg families.
How would you ensure that all Ellensburg residents—including those without internet or smart phones and those from vulnerable or diverse communities—are informed about key city council decisions and have opportunities to share their input?
What approaches would you use to communicate effectively, gather feedback (such as town halls or surveys), and incorporate a wide range of perspectives into your decision-making? This is a great question. My first thought was the older generation, the 70+ community. They may not have current technology or even access to a computer. I would promote the use of channel 191 on Spectrum to inform them of City concerns. To gain their feedback, I would visit nursing homes and gathering places to meet them one-on-one and hear their voices. I would assist in promoting the Zoom software that allows access to council meetings from home. Just because someone is unable to attend a meeting in person does not mean their voice is less important.
Other ideas are quarterly townhalls with interpreters that are accessible for all regardless of age, income, or disability. Even mailers or newsletters like the old days. We could make better use of the newspaper with, perhaps, a section for “Our City Matters.” I am also in favor of bingo nights at the American Legion or Hal Holmes sponsored by the City or other community organizations. These events would be great opportunities to converse with and gain input from the community. It would be fun, too!
Hospital District 1 Commisioner 1 Candidates
What do you see as the biggest challenge for healthcare in Kittitas County? Local healthcare is so complex that I have a hard time landing on just one big challenge, so I’ll name two:
- Recruitment and Retention of Providers: Our area faces ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining top medical providers. Nearly everyone I talk to shares frustrations about difficulty getting into a clinic or seeing a provider. That’s why I’ve said our people must be our top priority. KVH staff and providers need to be well supported, and significant effort must go into attracting and retaining high-quality practitioners.
- Financial Sustainability: The second major challenge is financial. While the average citizen may not see it, our local hospital district must be incredibly disciplined and diligent with its finances. State and federal healthcare policies have only added complexity to the issue. Locally, we must work hard to keep our healthcare system financially sustainable.
How familiar are you with state and federal regulations affecting rural hospitals? Please describe. I’ve been working hard to learn as much as I can about the unique government regulations that affect rural hospitals. Even recently, new legislation has passed that will impact us locally. State and national decisions have real consequences here, so I’m grateful that the KVH staff and board are actively tracking and responding to these ongoing changes.
YOUR VOTE MATTERS | PRIMARY ELECTION CLOSES: AUGUST 5